Owning and operating a motor vehicle may be expensive, and with the cost of parking tickets and other avoidable fines and citations, the cost may be significantly increased. Drivers often have to remember an increasing number of periodically changing and special driving and parking regulations in order to avoid violating any vehicle-related ordinances. Lack of timely, updated information or reminders regarding the appropriate regulations may be a problem for some drivers who are already juggling many other responsibilities.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,641,125 is believed to describe a meter beater timer that alerts the user when a predetermined time interval has expired. The user is reminded to set the timer when he withdraws the key from the ignition, by a key chain attachment that retracts into a timer housing when the key is removed, thereby depressing a plunger, which sets off an alarm.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,438,555 is believed to describe a multi-purpose key ring including a pouch to hold coins and a timer that may be set to select one of a choice of time periods, at the end of which a signal sounds.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,114,953 is believed to describe an automotive accessory reminder device for vehicle key rings including an integrated processor programmable to provide reminder information in a variety of operating modes including, mileage, date, parking location, parking meter expiration, event status and lost key recovery assist.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,400,358 is believed to describe a portable electronic parking location reminder device that may be carried on a key chain or key ring, including an electronic display screen and a battery powered micro-controller with memory and timer features.
U.S. Published Patent Application No. 2002/0044055 is believed to describe an object carrier for an object control and tracking system including a storage receptacle for receiving ID tags bearing touch memory devices and a computer based controller that detects the absence or presence and the identity of ID tags in the storage receptacle.